"We thought we fixed everything from five years ago (Hurricane Katrina), but now we're in a new oily boat," said Poppy Tooker, a New Orleans author, culinary activist, radio host — and outdoorswoman. She also teaches at the New Orleans Cooking Experience, a vacation cooking school. Shrimp creole, anyone?

She said the school is seeing some cancellations because people hear — incorrectly — that there is no seafood available.

The bigger impact, though, is being felt by commercial and recreational fishermen.

In Grand Isle, a popular fishing, camping and beach spot, the oil began coming in just before Memorial Day.

"Tourism just shut down completely," said Buggie Vegas, owner of the Bridgeside Marina. "What we're getting now (at his small deli) are the workers, the cleanup crew. That's all we got here."

Vegas said a typical June would have all 65 boat slips full, and he'd be supplying all their needs. Now just three are occupied, "and two of them are mine. Yeah, it's bad." A nearby campground has 72 slots but only 12 occupied. "Everybody's leaving."

It's generally agreed that those who do come to the Gulf area for the seafood have nothing to worry about at this point.

"What's killing us right now is the perception," said Randy Buck, executive chef at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, who said 70 percent of his menu is from the Gulf. "I mean, you would think we had oil slicks all up and down the coast." He pointed out that 70 percent of Louisiana's coastline is open to fishing boats.

Also to seafood lovers' advantage: Regulators have stepped up inspections.

"Before," Buck said, "maybe they were testing once or twice a week. Now they're testing these waters multiple times an hour. So in reality the seafood is probably as safe, if not safer, than it has ever been."